Jackson’s friend Patrick joined us to try out Savage Worlds. In addition to the regular savages (Darrin, Amanda, Rick and Jackson), Christian also showed up and played one of Kohaku’s ashigaru retainers. Lacking any gen-u-ine adventure I just threw together another tabletop skirmish – which is handy for teaching the basic mechanics of things to a new player.

SITUATION

The Orcs of the wildlands have begun a full-scale invasion. Kohaku (played this week by Patrick) was tasked with securing a bridge on the flank, unfortunately the goblins have the same idea and have also sent a

THE GAME

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)

Akira was the fist over the bridge.

…and with a couple sweeps over her mighty ancestral Katana she took down the leader of the goblins. Hardly being disheartened by this – the goblins saw their leaders demise as an opportunity for advancement and pressed on…

The rest joined her to defend the bridge… well Daichi and Christian’s character joined her. Kohaku and Isamu stood at the back on the other side of the river and picked off goblins with arrows and Hayato called upon the wind Kami to stir up a tempest to blind and confuse the orcs…

The battle raged on for a bit…

Eventually the goblins and Oni were defeated…

Well that’s probably it for this year…. (unless we get in a one-off game or two over the holidaze). I hope everyone has a happy holiday and a joyful and prosperous new year!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Once again Rick and Jackson bailed on us and Christian, who had insinuated he might show up, also was not able. So after some discussion of where things might go in the new year I threw together a quick little skirmish for Darrin and Amanda.

Continuing on from the "prequel" encounter How Daichi met Hiroki, Daichi and Hiroki Akira continued wandering the lands together and one afternoon came out of a wood, entering an area of intense farming and happened upon a troubling scene...

A group of bandits robbing a traveling courtier of some sort and his wife.

Akira being of the slay first - ask questions later school of investigation charged in!

javascript:void(0)The two bandits closest turned and charged to meet her. She was temporarily knocked off-balance by their combined attack, but quickly recovered (benny).

meanwhile two of the other bandits attacked the Courtiers baggage carriers - one was immediately cut down, the other ducked and dodged the attacks of the bandit with the naginata. Arrows whistled by the bodyguard fro either direction!

The bodyguard took down one of the bandit archers with an arrow through his neck and turned to deal with the other. The remaining baggage carrier drew his knife and closed with the bandit attacking him, but his wild attacks failed to connect with his assailant. The bandit who had slain the first baggage carrier leapt over the lifeless corpse and attacked the courtier directly!

Daishi joined Akira and whacked one bandit on his head with his "lesson stick"!

Things were looking poorly for the Courtier - his bodyguard was struck with an arrow that took him down. The courtier and the baggage carrier continued to try and fend of the bandits relentless attacks.

Akria rushed in in the nick of time to save the Courtier.

Daichi finished knocking "sense" into (or out of...?) the bandit he was fighting.

Akira took the bandit attacking the courtier down with a single stroke - the remaining bandit in the melee was shaken by the violence of her relentless assault on his comrades.

Akira had no mercy for the bandit and cut him down where he stood...

The remaining bandit headed for the hills!

Daichi healed the bodyguard and one of the baggage carriers while Akira finished off the bandits.

Hopefully we'll be playing again next week... well at least Darrin, Amanda and I. the following following week will likely be out... hopefully we can get some folks out on the 2nd - or maybe have a one-off game with some guest appearances... (some friends will be in town visiting around new years and hopefully will be convinced to play some Savage Worlds...).

In the new year we will likely be beginning a new - but somewhat similar campaign. I've been picking up a pile of Legends of the Five Rings books to use as "reference material" for THIS campaign... but there's so much good fluff there that I thought I'd just start a whole new campaign set IN Rokugan (the setting of L5R). I thought maybe I'd just drop the characters into the new setting... but since we'd have to completely rework most of their backgrounds I figured we may as well just make new characters (thought I may let them keep the experience points gained in this one so far...).

Amanda is torn between playing a Lion's Pride Samurai or a Unicorn Battle Maiden... I have a feeling Darrin will end up playing a Dragon Shugenja... but we shall see...